1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to apparatus and methods for rinsing nasal passages with saline solution.
2. Background of the Invention
Allergens are organic particles that attach to the nasal mucosa or respiratory mucosa and lead to the development of an antibody which creates a series of chemical reactions leading to symptoms. Allergies to various allergens can cause rhinitis and sinusitis. It is known that an effective nasal rinse can significantly reduce or permanently cure the symptoms of nasal allergies and sinus disease.
Conventional nasal rinsing equipment can be crude and many find it unsuitable for use. Currently various types of dispensers that can inject saline solution into user's nasal passage are available. U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,145 to Grossan (1974) discloses a nasal irrigation system which receives fluid from a fluid source, typically in a pulsating mode under pressure, and transfers this fluid through a hose to an applicator, through which fluid enters the nostril. The applicator is uncomfortable to use for the user must position their fingers on a small finger grip. Additionally, the applicator lacks any structure thereon from which the user can control fluid flow. U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,878 to Glassman (1999) discloses a nasal irrigation system which also receives a pressurized stream of fluid from a fluid source. U.S. Pat. No. 6,669,059 to Mehta (2003) discloses a nasal irrigation system in which the container of saline solution is squeezed to force the saline solution to the nasal passages.
All the nasal rinsing equipment currently available suffer from a number of disadvantages:    (a) saline solution is dispensed to the nostrils by force either by squeezing a flexible fluid container or by using a pressurized fluid source or by using syringes.    (b) fluid flow is not continuous through the nasal passages resulting in uncomfortable sensation.    (c) the saline solution from the nostril along with mucus is sucked back into the container when squeezing of the container is stopped and the pressure is released.    (d) it is hard to inject the entire content of the container into the nostril by squeezing the container as some of it is retained at the bottom of the container.    (e) for proper use, the dispensing tip should comfortably fit into user's nostril. Equipment having a dispenser tip designed for a certain size nostril can be useless for someone with smaller or larger nostrils. Improperly designed dispenser tips can cause the saline solution to be dispensed into the nasal passage without sufficiently dispersing before reaching the back of the nasal passage, resulting in an uncomfortable or painful sensation for the user. Thus, there is a need for equipment having dispenser tips that fit comfortably in human nostrils of varying sizes.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a method and an apparatus for preparing and dispensing a saline solution that is simple to make, simple to use, portable, suitable for use by persons having nostrils of different sizes, capable of rinsing nasal passages with a steady stream of liquid without pressurizing the saline solution or using pressure to dispense liquid to the nostrils, precludes the possibility of backflow of solution from the nostrils to the container and uses the solution completely from the container.